On 1 July, Hungary assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Presidency’s work programme for transport will focus on promoting better connectivity by extending European networks geographically and enhancing links between different modes of transport.
The Loadstar reported today that since the implementation of a series of peak season surcharges (PSS) and new FAK (freight all kinds) levels on 1st of July, the largest East-West container trades have seen a week of double-digit spot freight rate increases.
On 5th July, CLECAT took part in the welcome meeting of the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum (DTLF) held online. Organised by DG MOVE, the meeting was attended by over 130 participants.
EU TARGETS CHINESE E-COMMERCE WITH NEW IMPORT DUTIES
The European Commission plans to impose customs duties on goods under €150, specifically targeting Chinese e-commerce giants such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress. This measure aims to curb the influx of substandard items from China and create a level playing field for all online retailers.
MEP LIESE CALLS FOR POSTPONEMENT OF DEFORESTATION REGULATION
MEP Peter Liese, the environmental spokesperson for the EPP in the European Parliament has called on the European Commission to delay the implementation of the deforestation regulation. He urges that the transitional period should be used to simplify the bureaucratic aspects of the legislation.
Starting from 1 July 2024, the Centralised Clearance for Import (CCI) system enters its first phase of implementation. This new trans-European system aims to ensure the digitalisation of the centralised clearance process at the European level, as defined in the Union Customs Code (UCC).
The European Commission has imposed provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China, following a nine-month anti-subsidy investigation. The inquiry revealed unfair subsidisation in the Chinese BEV value chain, posing an economic threat to EU producers.
The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sector is facing challenges as Shell announced a temporary halt to construction at its Rotterdam biofuels facility. This decision comes just before the EU's 2025 mandate requiring aviation fuel at EU airports to contain 2% SAF, increasing annually to 70% by 2050.
On 2 July, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its latest data on global air freight markets, highlighting a robust growth in demand.
GERMANY EXTENDS TRACK ACCESS CHARGE SUBSIDIES UNTIL 2028
The German transport ministry will extend track access charge (TAC) subsidies until 2028. TACs in Germany are set to increase by 16.2 percent later this year and into 2025. However, the size of future subsidies remains unclear.